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MPG drop towing small trailer

DT400

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The other day I towed a 2 place ATV trailer with a 4' mesh swing up ramp with 1 ATV, total weight roughly 1500lbs. 65mph for the most part.
Driving the same route empty I get about 20.5 to 21.5 ish MPG...towing this small trailer dropped my MPG to 14.6mpg on the same route. I know towing a trailer will drop the MPG but 6-7 mpg for such a small trailer seems extreme.
For reference towing my flatbed car trailer with 2 ATV's and 2 weeks of hunting gear(4k+lbs total) my OLd Scout with a V-8 looses 2 mpg.
I'm a bit worried about what MPG I will get towing a toyhauler camper....

So how much (MPG or %) are you guys loosing when towing?

Darrell
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Aron

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I bet the issue is related to the 4' mesh ramp--that creates more drag than you would expect. If you could remove it and retrace your steps, I bet you would gain back a few MPG of that loss.
 

notabot

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I bet the issue is related to the 4' mesh ramp--that creates more drag than you would expect.
My lawn trailer with a mesh gate/ramp kills my mpg. For that reason I cut the hinges off and welded them back on so I could remove the ramp when towing far enough to matter.
 

PPK

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18x72" tandem axle trailer with a small 24 hp garden tractor.. maybe eight mpg. plenty power.. but much less than my GMC Canyon which is 14 mpg or thereabouts on the same trailer, road and tractor. 502A 2.7 4x4..... that is 3000 lbs for the trailer and 3500 for the tractor. I mean the f150 mileage goes about in half or one third.. not in good shape pulling a load that is for sure.
 

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jeffcrum

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Towing anything will be a decent drop in MPG.

For as long as I can remember, the conversation has gone like this:
I love my new truck. I get XX MPG.
What do you get towing?
10 :(

It is just reality.
 

DT444T

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RossRR

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'22 Lariat 3.5 ext. cab, long bed, Max Tow package.

The other day I towed a 2 place ATV trailer with a 4' mesh swing up ramp with 1 ATV, total weight roughly 1500lbs. 65mph for the most part.
Driving the same route empty I get about 20.5 to 21.5 ish MPG...towing this small trailer dropped my MPG to 14.6mpg on the same route. I know towing a trailer will drop the MPG but 6-7 mpg for such a small trailer seems extreme.
For reference towing my flatbed car trailer with 2 ATV's and 2 weeks of hunting gear(4k+lbs total) my OLd Scout with a V-8 looses 2 mpg.
I'm a bit worried about what MPG I will get towing a toyhauler camper....

So how much (MPG or %) are you guys loosing when towing?

Darrell
I have a utility trailer with a mesh 4' ramp and I found that when empty with the ramp vertical, my fuel economy drops to around 14-15 mpg; so, when empty, I always lay the ramp down in the trailer. I was surprised the first time I discovered this, too.
 

kevdog0710

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I just towed my 31 foot TT from PA to Florida and back. Interesting numbers all around. Fuel mileage got better in southern states, not sure if they don't add ethanol or not?
Got almost 9 mpg up north, close to 12 in the south running premium fuel.
Regular gas really kills the mpg's. I got 6.5 mpg on 87 in Delaware/Maryland, then started running premium and noticed an immediate improvement.

Ford F-150 MPG drop towing small trailer 20221119_001436


Ford F-150 MPG drop towing small trailer 20221119_105021


Ford F-150 MPG drop towing small trailer 20221122_110954


Ford F-150 MPG drop towing small trailer 20221118_123416
 

12Lariat21

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Yeah, it's defiantly the mesh ramp causing all the wind resistance and thus killing your mileage. The loss in mileage towing is 80% the increased wind resistance, and maybe 20% the actual weight. A heavy load is hard to start moving, but easy to keep moving (except up a hill). Anything that is not streamline/aerodynamic, will exponentially increase drag the faster you go.

My 6,500# travel trailer drops me from 19mpg to 10mpg on my 3.5.
My 16.5 ft boat drops me from 19mpg to 15mpg.
Winter air/fuel drops me from 19mpg to 16mpg.
 

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Aron

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I haven’t had a chance to tow anything yet with my truck (only has ~1300 miles on it), but I did haul about 1000 lbs of firewood the other day, and was getting about 25mpg.

If I were to tow my 6500 lb travel trailer, it would put approximately the same vertical load on the truck, but the added wind resistance and towed weight would probably push me down to about 10-12 mpg (based on towing with my Expedition with a similar 3.5L ecoboost engine).

Ford F-150 MPG drop towing small trailer A3A16316-12F0-46B7-93F2-DCF70747ACE7
 

DT444T

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I just towed my 31 foot TT from PA to Florida and back. Interesting numbers all around. Fuel mileage got better in southern states, not sure if they don't add ethanol or not?
Got almost 9 mpg up north, close to 12 in the south running premium fuel.
Regular gas really kills the mpg's. I got 6.5 mpg on 87 in Delaware/Maryland, then started running premium and noticed an immediate improvement.

20221119_001436.jpg


20221119_105021.jpg


20221122_110954.jpg


20221118_123416.jpg
Jesus, what speeds are you running???? SIX Mpg? I guess I assume 68mph, but damn. I can get 9.5 at 70 in my 6x12 at about 5000#
 

LakeErie

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I'll normally get 17-19 MPG for my 300 mile trek to Northern Michigan, with no trailer. I got 10.4 with the cruise set at 72 MPH towing a 10ft utility trailer hauling a Honda Pioneer SXS in 28 - 32 degree weather. Between the mesh gate, the height of the Pioneer, and its windshield, it is like pulling a parachute back there. I did lock out the 9th and 10th gears to keep the turbo from blowing so hard. I was getting around 9MPG in SE Michigan flatlands before I locked out those gears.
Ford F-150 MPG drop towing small trailer Tremor_trailer1
 

Polo08816

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18x72" tandem axle trailer with a small 24 hp garden tractor.. maybe eight mpg. plenty power.. but much less than my GMC Canyon which is 14 mpg or thereabouts on the same trailer, road and tractor. 502A 2.7 4x4..... that is 3000 lbs for the trailer and 3500 for the tractor. I mean the f150 mileage goes about in half or one third.. not in good shape pulling a load that is for sure.
Can you imagine how fun this would be if you were limited to a 24 gallon fuel tank in those GM 1500s?
 

kevdog0710

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Jesus, what speeds are you running???? SIX Mpg? I guess I assume 68mph, but damn. I can get 9.5 at 70 in my 6x12 at about 5000#
That was with regular going 65-70. Npg's jumped 3.5 mpg with premium. I was getting almost 9 in the summer, I assume the ethanol winter additive kills it
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